Sheet cutting and creasing press



. 5, 194?. i H. J. LuEHRs 2,425,046

' SHEET CUTTING AND CREAS ING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 1:5 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS I Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet 3" ATTORNEYS Aug. 5, 1947. H. J. LUEHRS 2,425,040

I SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 13 Sheets- Sheet 4 INVENTOR- ,awyme mama Aug. 5, 3947. H. J. LUEHRS SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS- Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

I BY

ATTORNEYS Aug. 5, 194?. H. J. LuEHRs 2,425,040 Y SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 25; 194.4 13 hee 6 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY? Aug; 5, 194?. H. J. LUEHRS SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet '7 IN V EN TOR.

Aug. 5, 1947. H. J. LUEHRS SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 -13 Sheets-Sheet 8 IN V EN TOR.

A TTOENEYS Aug. 5, 1947. H. J. LUEHRS SHEET CUTTING AND GREASING PRESS ori inal Filed Aug. 25, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 ism: CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet i0 ATTORNEYS Aug. 5, 1947; J LUEHRS 2,425,040

SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 13 speets -sheet 11 IIVVENTOR. fa

ATTORNEYS Aug. 5, 1947.

H. J. LUEHRS SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet 12 ATTORNEYS Aug. 5, 1947. H. J. LUEHRS SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet. l3

INVENTOR.

A TTORNE VS Patented Aug. 5, 1947 SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS Hans J. Luehrs, Westerly, R. I., assignor to C. B. Cottrell & Sons Company, Westerly, R. I., a corporation of Delaware Original application August 25, 1944, Serial No.

Divided and this 1945, Serial No. 594,101

11 Claims. 1

In sheet cutters and creasers of the bed and cylinder type the speed of the machine is limited because of the high inertia forces of the necessarily heavy reciprocating bed which travapplication May 16,

2 creased sheet to permit the free return stroke of the empty carriage.

A further object is to provide novel means for locking and unlocking the upper platen and els a considerable distance during its forward and 5 additional novel means for subsequently swinging return strokes. the unlocked platen open to a substantially verti- By the use of platen presses the speed of the cal position to gain convenient access to the cutmachine may be materially increased due to the ter plate and die for make-ready, etc., and for decreased inertia forces of the reciprocating swinging the platen from its open to its closed platen which may be moved a comparatively position. short distance on its upward and downward A further object is to provide novel means strokes. for reciprocating the lower platen in which an My invention consists in improvements in additional means is provided for carrying the presses of the platen type whereby the strokes loadduring the sheet cutting and creasing operof the movable platen and of the sheet handling ation. carriage may be kept at a minimum, thereby A further object is to provide novel means for materially decreasing the inertia forces of the Op rating the sheet grippers and suction devices said platen and carriage and increasing the proon the carriage and the suction devices on the duction speed of the press without sacrificing the o er platen in timed relatio known desirable features of the bed cylinder type A further object is to provide means for bringof press, ing the lower platen into and out of contact with My invention also consists in providing means the suction devices on the carriage during the whereby excessive deflection of the platens under dwell of the carriag at its newly fed sheet takthe increased cutting and creasing pressures is i g position to transfer the preced g cut and prevented, and in providing means for ensuring creased sheet to the said carriage to be forwarded conformity of any slight deflection of the platens thereby o the de ywhich might be caused by the said increased A practical embodiment of my invention is cutting and creasing pressures. represented in the accompanying drawings in My invention also consists in providing means W c for obtaining the maximum degree of accessibil- Fig. 1 rep a Side ew Of t e press with ity to the cutter plate and die carried by the its feeder and delivery; platens. Fig. 2 represents a plan View of the same;

My invention also includes certain other im- 3 r p ese t a transverse e l t provements in the construction, arrangement and an enlarged Scale, taken in the plane o t e operation of the several parts of the press as will 5 i e l-I I of hereinafter or fully appea Fig. 4 represents a transverse section on the One object of my invention is to provide novel s Scale as taken in the plane of the line means whereby the reciprocating movement of IVIV of Figthe sheet handling carriage and the movable Fig. 5 represents a vertical transverse section platen are so co-related as to permit a short taken in the plane of the line V--V of Fig. 3; movement of the platen and of the sheet handling Fig. 6 represents a detail vertical transverse Carriage o r by reduce the inertia. forces to section, taken in the plane of the line VI of Fig. a minimum i 3 with the moving element in another position Another obJect of my invention is to provide from that shownm Fig nPvel means whereby Sheet h t a Fig. 7 represents a vertical longitudinal secnage may be rememcfated stralght lme wlth tion, taken in the plane of the line VII-VII of a dwell at the beginning of; its flgrviard stroke to Fig feed-in a new 5 eet and 0 ta e he preceding cut and creased sheet from the lower platen; f 8 represen. slmuar FF wlth the another dwell near the end of said stroke at the mOYmg elements m anothe? posltwtl sheet cutting and creasing position and to de- 9 represents a detall plan Vlew partly m liver the preceding cut and creased sheet; and Section, n an arged s ale, of the press and a slight additional movement to open the sheet delivery; taking grippers on the carriage and move th m Fig. 10 represents a detail side elevation of beyond the leading end of the newly out and the delivery showing the mechanisms for operating the sheet grippers and suction devices on the reciprocating sheet handling carriage;

Fig. 11 represents a detail vertical section, taken in the plane of the line X[--X[ of Fig. 9, showing the cam for operating the sheet grippers on the carriage;

Fig. 12 represents a detail verticalsectiomtaken in the plane of the line XlL-XEI of Fig. 9, showing the cam for controlling the operation of the; p l

suction devices on the carriage;

Fig. 13 represents a detail side elevation showing the mechanism for operating :thesuction -.devices on the movable lower;platen';

- H! is shown as driving the auxiliary cam shaft 1 I through the bevel gears l8, I9, which auxiliary *camshaftcarries the cams for controlling the op- Fig. 14 represents a detail vertical section, '7'

taken in the plane of the .line XIV-XIV of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 represents a detail vertical "longitudinal section of the fixed upper platen Fig. 16 represents a detail horizontal section.

taken in the plane of the line XVI-XVI of a-1 Fig, 17 represents a detail :plan view :partly in section of the lower -platen and :its-die;

:Fig. 18 represents a vertical :section, taken in the plane of th line XVIII-XVIII 'of Fig. '17.;

Fig. 19representsadetail plan view of the'carriageand its sheet handlingsgrippers and :suction devices;

Fig. 20 represents-adetail vertical section showing the carriage and a portion of the means :for

reciprocating :it,1the parts being in position to take the :newly fed sheet;

Fig. 2-1 represents :a detail end-view'of-the same;

showing .a portion of the manually operated means for unlocking the upper platen;

Fig. 26 represents a detail:plan view of a gripperon anenlarged scale; I

Fig. 27 represents a longitudinal section ta-ken in'the plane of the line XXVH-XXVI-I-.of l ig;26; and

Fig. '28 represents a detail-.side:elevation of the gripper actuating-means.

This application is :a division of my original application filed August 25, "1944, Serial No.

The press frame comprises, s'generally, the base i and the side frames 2. The stationary upper platen 3 is shown as provided with'a removable cutter .plate 4 and the vertically :movable lower platen 5 as provided with a removable die '6 for periodic coaction with the cutter plate 4 to out and crease succeeding sheets. This ilower ,p'laten "5 is shown as mountedto reciprocate vertically.

The reciprocating sheet handling carriage 1 is shown as slidable'in a'straight line on the rails of the tracks '8, 8 which tracksareinclined "forwardly and upwardly from the sheet feeder 'to the sheet *delivery -10. The feederand."delivery will not be specifically described nor claimed hereinas they form nopart Iof the present invention.

The power driven main drive shaft H :of the lpressis shown .asipr'ovided with two pinions l2 adjacent the side frames 2, which minions anesh eration of .the severalsheet handling devices.

Thellowergplaten reciprocating cam I5 is shown .as having .two cam: grooves 23 of the same shape andalso the sameangular position with respect to :the cam shaft H, in which grooves 20 the smaller-camlrollers fi travel. This cam i5 is also shown as having a renewable short peripheral cam surfface 22 of wear resisting material, as hardened steel, which cam surface periodically :engages a larger .cam roller 23 for carrying "the load during-the sheet cutting and creasing opera- .tion.

Ehesemam rollers .21 ander? are-o-perably con nected'tothelower platen'by the following means. Two toggle levers are interposed between the lower,platen .Eland the base i of thepress frame at points spaced inwardly from the sides-of the lower platen and between the vertical planes through the side supports for the fixed upper platen to .eliminate the effect of the upward eentral deflection of the upper platen, to avoid the downward central deflection-of the lower platen .andLto ensure :oonformity of-any slightdeflection .of both :platens in relation to each other which might be caused-due to the increased cuttingrand creasing jpressures. =Each toggle lever comprises pivotallyconnected upper and lower members .24 and 25, .the upper member Q24 being also pivoted ,to theilower platen '5 and .the lower member 25 to the said'base l. Two links 26 project from the pivotal connections of the upper and lower members"24 and 25 of their respectivetoggle levers. Theseilin'ks are also pivoted to -a. fraine-?.'i which carries thecam rollers 2| and This roller frame}? is shown as a yoke which is vertically reciprocatedfin .the guides :26 uprising from the base 'I by the action of thecam-grooveslilii on the cam rollers 2 l, which-cam. grooves impart-a gradually increasing upward movement and agradually decreasing downward movement to the lower platen during its operative cycle.

A heavy coil spring .29 .is located between the lower platen and the frame .27 to exertpressure onfthe cam rollers 21 and 23 to keep them in contact with their 'cam surfaces and to thereby .eliminate lost motion.

The "sheet handling carriage "i is shown as reciprocated, with the proper dweils, in an in 'c'lined straightline by'the following means. Each jofithe carriage'reciprocating cams 'IBhas aproperly shaped cam groove .35 in which a roller 3| travels. This cam roller 3! is carriedby .arack bar 32 vertically slidable in upper and lower guides 33 and 33* on the side frame 2, 'theiteeth of 'wliich'rack bar engage a pinion 3 5 on a shaft 35 which carries a toothed segment 35. Over- 't'hriow springs 36* are connected to cranks 35* 1(see'Figs. 5 and 6) on the shaft '35 for yieldingly holding thesegments-at the limits of their throw and .to-. lirninate backlash thereon. These two segments .36 mesh with rack bars f3! extending along and secured to the sides of the said carriage J. The shape of these carriage reciprocating .carns 1.6 is such that the a carriage is moved at 2.

faster speed on its? return stroke and ataslower speed on" itsforward stroke with a: dwell at its: position to take a newly fed sheet and the preceding out and creased sheet, adwell. at its position for cutting and: creasing the newly fed sheet and delivering the; previously cutand creased sheet and with a short added movementat the finish of its forward stroke to open sheet grippers on the carriage and move them beyond the leading end of the said newly fed-in sheet after it has been cut and creased.

The weight of the movable lower platen 5 is shown as partly counterbalanced to relieve to a considerable degree the strain on the platen operating means; Inthe present instance I have shownheavy c'oil springs 38"located between the: lower platena'nd' the base I open opposite sides of the platen operating cam f5 and in linewith the toggle levers.

The means on the carriage 1 for handling the newly fed-in sheet and the preceding out and creased sheet comprises thesheetgrippers 39 and the suction devices 48'.

The sheet grippers as are disposed across the rear end of the carriage l position to be closed to grasp a new sheet from the feeder 9' during the dwell at the beginning of the forward stroke of the carriage and to release the said sheet as it reaches its sheet cutting and creasing position just before the end of the forward stroke of the carriage.

The suction devices 413 on the carriage 1' are disposed in position totake the preceding cut and creased sheet from the die 6 on the lower platen 5 during the dwel-lat the start of the forward movement of the carriage and during the forward stroke convey the said preceding cut and creased sheet forwardly to its delivery position at the same time as the new sheet is fed-in to its cutting and creasing position.

Suction devices 41 are also provided in the die 6 n the lower platen for holding the newly fed-in sheet on the die 5 during the cutting andcreasing operation and also during the returnstroke of the carriage l and until the suction devices M on the carriage engage the preceding out and creased sheet to lift it from the die.

The inner wall of the cam groove is shaped at 29* to move the lower platen a short distance upwardly from its lowered position, during the dwell of the carriage at its feeding-in position, to bring the preceding cut and creased sheet on the lower platen into conta-ct with the suction devices 49 on the carriage and to then move the platen downwardly a short distance from the carriage to permit the free forward movement of the cut and creased sheet.

Ready access to the die and cutter plate may be provided for by providing manual means for releasably locking the upper platen in is operative position and power means for swinging the unlocked platen to its opened and closed positions,

The power means for opening and closing the upper platen is shown as including a motor 42 whose shaft 43 is connected by a worm 44 to the lower worm gear 45 on the vertical shaft 46 The upper worm 41 on its shaft 46 meshes witha toothed segment 48 fixed to one of thejourn'als 49 projecting from the ends of an onset portion 50 of the upper platen, which journals are mounted in suitable bearings 51 in the side frames 2.

The manual means for releasably locking the upper platen, under pressure,- inits closed or operative? position includes a handwheel 5.2 on the hand shaft 53, which hand shaft is provided with two-worms Which mesh: with two toothed segments 55 carried by the eccentric rock shafts 56. Platen engaging hooks 51 have their hubs:

58-:mounted.for a'limited'. rotary movement onthe eccentric; portions 59 of the rock shafts 56,.inthe present instance by providing the hooks with circumferentially elongated: slots 60 and the said hooks to exert additional pressure on the closed upper platen to hold it firmly in said closed position'. At the endof their limited movement on the" shafts 56 the platen hooks may be swung out of their platen locking position by th further rotary movement of the rock shafts in the proper direction. The first portion of the releasingmov'ernen t of the hooks will remove the pressure of the hooks on the upper platen and thus permitthe hooks to be swung freely to their released position. Springs '5l=*' serve to urg the hooks 57 toward their locking position.

The several mechanisms for operating the sheet grippers 39 the suction devices 40 and the suction devices 44- at the proper times will now be described;

The means for operating the sheet grippers 39- on the carriage I at the proper times to feed-in and to release the newly fed sheet comprises the following elements; The auxiliary cam shaft I1 is shown as provided with a box cam 62 in the groove of which there is located a roller 63 carried by a vertically slidable rod M, the upper portion of which rod is guided in a bracket 65. The

upper end of the rod 64' is connected by a link to to one arm 61' of a rock lever fast on a rock shaft 68, the other arms 69 of which rock lever are connected 'by rods 10 to uprising arms H journaled on a cross tie shaft 12. The uprising arms 69 are provided with rollers 13 for controlling the closing of the sheet grippers 39 to take a newly fed sheet; and the arms H are provided with rollers 14'- for controlling the opening of the grippers when the newly fed sheet reaches its cutting and creasing position on the forward stroke of the carriage.

The sheet grippers 39 are opened and closed by the engagement of the rollers 13, 14' with the arms 116' which depend from the gripper cross shaft 75 at the proper times in the reciprocation of the carriage. The movable jaws T! of the grippers; 39' are pivoted at E8 and they are connected to the arms 19" of the cross shaft 15 by means of adjustable links 80, blocks 8|, connecting rods 82 blocks 83 and links 84. Overthrow springs 85 are provided for holding the grippers through the shaft 15 in either their open or closed position,

The means for operating the suction devices 40 on the carriage I at the proper times to take a preceding cut and creased sheet from the die and to deliver the sheet comprises the following elements. The suction devices 40 on the carriage are" operated from the auxiliary cam shaft H, which cam shaft is'provided with a box cam 86 in the groove of which there is located the roller 8"! which is carried by a forked rod 88 connected at its upper end to an arm 89 on a cross shaft 99'. This cross shaft has another arm 9! connected by a vertical rod 92 to an arm 93 pivoted on the press frame, which arm 93 is connected by The eccentric ,sheet.

7 tion passages 91 to atmosphere through the ports 98/ The suction passages 91 are flexibly connected by tubes 99 to the suction devices 40 on the carriage.

The means for operating the suction devices 4| through the die 6 n the lower platen to hold a newly fed sheet thereon during the cutting and creasing operation and during the return stroke of the carriage and to then release the sheet, comprises the following elements.

The auxiliary cam shaft I! is provided with a box cam I00 in the groove of which there is located a roller IOI carried by a vertically slidable rod I02, the upper end of which rod is connected by a link I03 to an arm I04 fast on the cross shaft I05. This cross shaft I05 is provided with depending arms I06 connected to the slide bars I01 by links I08. Each of the slide bars I0I is provided with two slide valves having bridge ports I09 for opening and closing the suction passages I II] to the atmosphere through the ports III. These suction passages H0 are flexibly connected by tubes II2 leading to the suction devices 4| through passages H3, transverse auxiliary manifolds H4 and passages H5. The suction devices 40 and 4| are in open communication with a common manifold I I6 which manifold is connected through a pipe III to a power driven vacuum pump, not shown (see Figs. 7 and 8).

Shock-absorbing means are provided for the sheet handling carriage at the ends of its forward and rearward strokes, which means includes the following elements. The sides of the carriage are shown as provided with two rollers H8 at its rear end and two rollers H9 at its front end. The press side frames 2 are shown as provided with two spring pressed yielding cams I20 for engagement by the carriage rollers H8 and with two spring pressed yielding cams I2I for engagement by the carriage rollers H9 (see Figs. 9 and 19). Each of these spring pressed cams is pivoted in a bracket I22 on the side frame, said bracket being provided with stops I23, I24 for engagement with a lug I25 on the cam to limit its swinging movement.

In operation, the sheets to be cut and creased are fed one by one into proper end and side register by the feeder 9 to be taken by the sheet grippers 39 on the rear end of the carriage l as the carriage dwells at the start of its forward stroke. At the same time the lower platen is slightly moved upwardly to bring the preceding cut and creased sheet into contact with the suction devices 40 on the carriage. The suction devices M in the die on the lower platen 5 are then operated to release the preceding cut and creased sheet from the die and the suction devices 40 on the carriage I are operated to take and hold the released preceding .cut and creased sheet on the carriage,

As the carriage I is moved forwardly and upwardly in a straight line along its inclined track 8 the grippers 39 will feed the new sheet into position to be cut and creased by the coaction of the lower and upper platens. On the same forward stroke of the carriage the suction devices 40 on the carriage will advance the preceding cut and .creased sheet to its delivery point. The carriage is then caused to dwell a sufficient time to permit the die on the upwardly moving lower platen to cut and crease the newly fed-in The suction devices 40 on the carriage will be released to deliver the preceding cut and creased sheet, and the suction devices M in the die on the lower platen will be operated to hold the newly cut and creased sheet on the die.

The carriage is then moved a short distance forwardly to the end of its forward stroke for causing the sheet grippers 39 on the carriage to be opened to release the newly cut and creased sheet and moved just beyond the leading end of the said newly cut and creased sheet. The lower platen is then moved downwardly with its newly cut and creased sheet and the empty carriage is returned downwardly and rearwardly on its track 8 to its sheet feeding-in position. The cycle may then be repeated.

It will be understood that the reciprocating movements of the carriage and the lower platen are so timed with respect to each other that the cutting and creasing operation as well as the feeding-in and delivery operations may be accomplished with a minimum movement of the lower platen.

As the lower platen reaches its cutting and creasing position it will be seen that the cam surface 22 on the platen reciprocating cam I5 engages the larger cam roller 23 thus causing the cam I5'through its cam roller 23 to carry the load during the cutting and creasing operation.

If it be desired to gain access to the die and cutter plate for make-ready, etc., the upper platen may be released from its closed or operative position, under pressure, by operating the platen engaging hooks 5'! to first release their pressure on the upper platen and to then be swung free of the upper platen. The reversible motor 42 may then be started in the direction to cause the motor to swing the unlocked upper platen to its open vertical position. When so desired the upper platen may be returned to its closed position by the reverse operation of the motor. The hand shaft 53 may then be turned by its hand wheel 52 to swing the hooks to their locking position and to then draw the hooks downward to exert the required pressure on the upper platen to firmly seat the same against the considerable upward pressure of the lower platen during the cutting and creasing operation.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit'and scope of my invention, and hence I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but what I claim is:

v 1. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a frame, an upper platen hinged and releasably locked to the frame, a. movable lower platen for periodic coaction with the upper platen to cut and crease successive sheets, means for unlocking the upper platen, and means for swinging the unlocked platen to an open position.

2, In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a frame, an upper platen hinged and releasably locked to the frame, a movable lower platen for periodic coaction with the upper platen to cut and crease successive sheets, manually operated means for unlocking the upper platen, and motor driven means for swinging the unlocked platen to an open position.

3. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a frame,"an upper platen hinged and releasably locked to the frame, a movable lower platen for periodic coaction with the upper platen to cut and crease successive sheets, means operable to lock the upper platen under pressure in its closed position, to release such pressure and to unlock the upper platen, and means for swinging the unlocked platen to its open and closed positions.

4. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a frame, an upper platen hinged and releasably locked to the frame, a movable lower platen for periodic coaction with the upper platen to cut and crease successive sheets, manually operated means for locking the upper platen under pressure in its closed position, for releasing such pressure and for unlocking the upper platen, and means for swinging the unlocked platen to its open position, said manuallyoperated means including hooks and a rock shaft serving as a mounting therefor with a limited rotative movement with respect thereto.

5. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a frame, an upper platen hinged and releasably locked to the frame, a movable lower platen for periodic coaction with the upper platen to cut and crease successive sheets, manually operated means for locking the upper platen under pressure on its closed position, for releasing such pres sure and for unlocking the upper platen, and means for swinging the unlocked platen to its open position, said manually operated means including hooks and a rock shaft serving as a mounting therefor with a limited rotative movement with respect thereto and spring means urging the hooks toward their locking position.

6. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a frame, an upper platen hinged and releasably locked, to the frame, a movable lower platen for periodic coaction with the upper platen to cut and crease successive sheets, manually operated means for locking the upper platen under pressure in its closed position, for releasing such pressure and to unlock the upper platen, and motor driven means for swinging the unlocked platen to an open position.

7. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a frame, an upper platen, a movable lower platen for periodic coaction with the upper platen to out and crease successive sheets, means for hinging the upper platen to the frame, a rock shaft, hooks thereon releasably locking the upper platen to the frame, a hand shaft having worm and gear connections with said rock shaft for swinging the hooks into and out of their locking positions, and means for swinging the upper platen when unlocked to its open position.

8. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a

frame, an upper platen, a movable lower platen for periodic coaction with the upper platen to cut and crease successive sheets, means for hinging the upper platen to the frame, a rock shaft having eccentric portions, hooks thereon releasably locking the upper platen to the frame under pressures, hand shaft having worm and gear connections with said rock shaft for releasing the pressure on the hooks and then swinging them out of their locking positions, and means for swinging the upper platen when unlocked to its open position.

9. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a frame, an upper platen, a movable lower platen for periodic coaction with the upper platen to cut and. crease successive sheets, means for hinging the upper platen to the frame, a rock shaft, hooks thereon releasably locking the upper platen to the frame, toothed segments on said rock shaft, a hand shaft, worms thereon meshing with said toothed segments for swinging'the hooks into and out of their locking positions, and. means for swinging the upper platen when unlocked to its open and closed positions.

10. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a frame, an upper platen, a movable lower platen for periodic coaction with the upper platen to cut and crease successive sheets, means for hinging the upper platen to the frame, a rock shaft having eccentric portions, hooks thereon releasably locking the upper platen to the frame under pressure, toothed segments on said rock shaft, a hand shaft, worms thereon meshing with said toothed segments for releasing the pressure on the hooks and then swinging them out of their locking positions, and means for swinging the upper platen when unlocked to its open and closed positions.

11. In a. sheet cutting and creasing press, a frame, an upper platen, a movable lower platen for periodic cutting and creasing coaction with the upper platen, means for hinging the upper platen to the frame, manually operated means for releasably locking the upper platen to the frame, and means for swinging the unlocked upper platen to open position, comprising a rock shaft, a toothed segment thereon and a motor driven shaft having a worm meshing with said segment,

HANS J. LUEI-IRS. 

